Living History: Cornerstones in the foundation of America

Bread -- the staff of life. Its production dates to prehistoric times when people ground a variety of grains to produce flour. Over the centuries, milling changed from a hand operation to one controlled by flowing water. Southeastern Pennsylvania was blessed with numerous fast-flowing streams that provided the power necessary to run mills. Grist mills -- operations where a water-wheel turned a stone to grind grains -- were found in abundance after 1700. Sawmills, paper, leather tanning and grist mills were among the first large industrial enterprises in Pennsylvania.

Newlin Grist Mill in southwestern Delaware County dates to 1704 and is one of the oldest fully intact operations in the region. It was a country mill, producing flour for use locally and for sale in Philadelphia, Europe and other regions. This was the third mill built by the Newlin family, who emigrated to Pennsylvania at the request of William Penn. Strode’s Mill near West Chester dates to 1721; Joseph Taylor erected a mill on Pocopson Creek in 1724. By the late 1700s, Chester County had 127 such structures.

Mills were coveted by both the British and Continental armies during the Revolutionary War. During the Philadelphia campaign in 1777, General Washington ordered his officers to remove millstones to prevent their owners from producing flour for the enemy. Impressed with the industrial progress of the young nation, Washington wrote a letter to the Marquis de Lafayette on Jan. 29, 1789, saying “In Pennsylvania they have attended particularly to the fabrication of cotton cloths, hats and all articles in leather…”

Many of the earliest mills were on the East Branch of the Brandywine, which also supported factories like the Brandywine Machine Works (also known as E.T. Cope & Sons) that made a wide variety of products from water wheels and troughs to creamery churns and sausage cutters. In her book “Between the Brandywines -- A History of West Bradford,” Catherine Quillman mentions early photographs showing this and other operations near the scenic Cope’s Bridge. Industries on the East Branch included Bower’s Paper Mill, Chamber’s Tannery and W.D. Sugar’s spinning wheel factory. The remote location of Bower’s Mill was part of its rustic appeal to visitors. The complex housed multiple generations of workers who lived on a 15-acre expanse, nicknamed Susie Paper Mill, supporting numerous pheasants and even fox l.

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On the West Branch, Marshall’s at Northbrook had a grist mill built around 1786 and a lumber mill which operated until the 1970s. Broad Run Creek which feeds into the West Branch had exceptional water power. At one point, five mills operated on a six-mile stretch of its waters. In Jennersville, local farmer/historian Philip Edwards supplied this author with photographs of several industrial operations from yesteryear, including Gilbert’s Mill near West Grove and the Pleasant Garden Iron Works on Big Elk Creek dating to 1822. Many documents in his collection come from the late John Ewing, an expert on the mills in southwestern Chester County.

By the mid-1800s, mills in southeastern Pennsylvania were manufacturing a huge assortment of goods, from foodstuffs to fertilizers. The advent of steam power replaced waterworks, but many buildings which housed these early industries survived the onslaught of time. The remnants of Strode’s Mill are on Birmingham Road, the sign announcing their sausage works visible from the roadway. The Newlin Mill was fully operational until 1941. It was later purchased by a descendant of the founders, restored to its former glory and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Today corn is still ground into cornmeal which is available for purchase.

Sometimes mill owners turned their skills to different pursuits. E.T. Cope’s millworks were eventually abandoned, but one family member -- Emmor B. Cope -- used his engineering talents in a unique way. In 1893, he was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of War to design markers for another site steeped in history -- Gettysburg Battlefield. The website www.millphotos.com showcases photographs of several regional grist mills. In Chester County alone, one can see remnants of more than 70 of these once bustling establishments dotting the landscape. Drive through the scenic countryside and you’ll spot these picturesque vestiges of our early industrial heritage.

Gene Pisasale is an author based in Kennett Square whose books and lecture series focus on historical topics. His novel “The Forgotten Star” delves into the War of 1812 and true-life mysteries surrounding an American icon- the Star-Spangled Banner. Pisasale’s lecture “The War of 1812- The Conflict That Forged A Nation” at the Bayard Taylor Library in Kennett Square on Saturday, March 23, at 2 p.m. is free and open to the public. His website is www.GenePisasale.com. Contact him at Gene@GenePisasale.com.